Since 2008, Rwanda's national football team, Amavubi, has had ten coaches under permanent contracts. Some made remarkable starts, while others struggled significantly.
Among them, Adel Amrouche, Sellas Tetteh, and Carlos Alós Ferrer have ranked the lowest in performance during their first six competitive matches. Adel Amrouche, an Algerian, stepped into the position as Amavubi’s head coach on March 2, 2023, taking over from Torsten Frank Spitler.
Since his appointment, Adel has led six competitive matches, managing only one win, one draw, and four defeats. The results include a 2-0 loss to Nigeria, a 1-1 draw with Lesotho, a narrow 1-0 loss to Nigeria, a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe, another 1-0 setback against Benin, and a 3-0 defeat to South Africa during the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Across these matches, Amavubi scored just two goals while conceding eight, achieving only 4 out of a possible 18 points.
Adel’s inaugural performance mirrors that of Sellas Tetteh, a coach from Ghana who held the reins of Amavubi from 2011 to 2013. Like Adel, Tetteh won one match, drew one, and lost four in his first six games, scoring four goals and conceding nine, to also net four points.
Ranked below them is Spanish coach Carlos Alós Ferrer, who managed Amavubi between March 2022 and August 2023. During Ferrer’s first six games, his record showed three draws and three losses, amassing a mere three points out of 18. His team scored two goals but conceded six.
Performance Review of Other Amavubi Coaches in Their First Six Matches
This list excludes interim coaches such as Eric Nshimiyimana, Kanyankore Gilbert, Cassa Mbungo Andre, Lee Johnson, and Jimmy Mulisa.
1. Branko Tucak
Branko led the team in 2008, securing three wins and three defeats in his first six matches. His team scored seven goals but conceded 11, earning nine points out of 18.
2. Sellas Tetteh
The Ghanaian coach who succeeded Branko led the team for a year. In his first six games, Tetteh won one, drew one, and lost four, scoring four goals while conceding nine, thereby earning just four points.
3. Milutin Sredojevic (Micho)
Known as Micho, this Serbian coach managed Amavubi from 2011 to 2013. He set a standout record by achieving an unbeaten streak in his first six games, winning five and drawing one. His team scored 14 goals while conceding just five, earning an impressive 16 points out of 18.
4. Stephen Constantine
Stephen Constantine succeeded Micho in 2014. Although he coached only five matches, the team qualified for the African Cup of Nations thanks to his leadership, even though a documentation issue with player Daddy Birori led to their disqualification. Constantine’s five-match record included three wins, one draw, and one loss, with six goals scored and two conceded. Adjusted for six matches, this would equate to 12 points.
5. Johnny McKinstry
Irishman Johnny McKinstry was at the helm from 2015 to 2016. In his first six games, he achieved three victories, one draw, and two defeats. His team scored six goals and conceded four, earning 10 points out of 18.
6. Antoine Hey
Appointed in 2017, German coach Antoine Hey guided Amavubi through his first six matches with a balanced record: two wins, two draws, and two losses. Amavubi scored six goals but conceded seven, earning eight points out of 18.
7. Mashami Vincent
Mashami Vincent, a Rwandan coach, took over after Antoine Hey in 2018 and became the longest-serving Amavubi coach since 2004, staying four years until 2022. During his first six matches, Mashami’s record stood at one win, two draws, and three losses. His team scored seven goals but conceded ten, earning five points out of 18.
8. Carlos Alós Ferrer
After Mashami’s departure, Spanish coach Carlos Alós Ferrer was appointed. Unfortunately, he recorded one of the poorest starts among Amavubi coaches, securing only three points out of 18 after drawing three matches and losing three. His team scored two goals while conceding six.
9. Frank Torsten Spitler
German coach Frank Torsten Spitler managed the team from November to December 2023. During his first six competitive matches, Spitler achieved two wins, three draws, and one loss.
His team scored several key results, including a 0-0 draw against Zimbabwe, a 2-0 win over South Africa, a 1-0 loss to Benin, a 1-0 win over Lesotho, a 1-1 draw against Libya, and another 0-0 draw with Nigeria. This record earned him nine points out of 18.
Adel Amrouche has faced a challenging start during his first six matches leading Amavubi.
With only four points from his first six games, Adel Amrouche has a tough road ahead to improve Amavubi’s performance.